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' (No Mariel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. P. JACKSON.

GAR COUPLING. No. 323,154. Patented July 28, 1885.

a 1 J A p l. I l v r I 1 l (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

G. F. JACKSON. GAR COUPLING.

No. 323,154. Patented July 28, 1885.

g LIT g I I I g k If j UNTTE STATES ATENT FFTCEQ CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,154, dated July 28, 1885.

Application filed February 24, 1885.

To all whmn it may concern/.-

Be it known-that I, GEORGE F. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philad elphia,Pennsy1vania, have invented certain Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which ordinary coupling-links are used, one object of my invention being to permit the coupling and uncoupling of the cars without the necessity of the brakeman going between the same, and a further object being to prevent the ready uncoupling of the cars after the same have been coupled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1,

2, 3, and 4 are longitudinal sections of parts of the draw-heads of opposite cars provided with my improved coupling devices, the parts being in diiferent positions in the different figures; Fig. 5, a perspective View of part of the frame of acar with my improved coupling; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the couplinghook, and Fig. 7 a transverse section of the coupling.

The coupling devices on each car are alike; hence a description of the construction of the coupling devices of but one car will suffice for both.

A is the draw-head, which maybe connected to the frame-work of a car in any of the usual ways, and which should be provided with the ordinary bumper and draw-springs. In the central chamber, B, of the draw-head is a hook, D, which is pivoted at the rear end to a transverse pin, a, the opening in the hook being at the bottom of the same, and this opening being closed under ordinary circumstances by a pivoted catch, I). The hook is connected by a rod, d, to an arm, 6, on a rockshaft, f, adapted to suitable hearings on the end sill of the car-frame, and having at each end an arm, 9. p

On each side of the chamber B of the drawhead, near the mouth of the same, are curved shoulders or guides t' and shoulders m, inclined slightly upward toward the mouth of the drawhead, and in 'the bottom of said draw-head is a recess, a.

In coupling, when the cars are of the-same, or about the same, height, the link F rests upon the shoulders at of one draw-head and (No model.)

bears against the shoulders i of the same, these shoulders limiting the extent to which the link can enter the head. The elevation of the inner end of the link is prevented by the hook D, which engages with the link and which occupies the lowest position, as shown at the right side of Fig. 1, so that the outer end of the link, which projects beyond the mouth of the draw head, is tilted slightly upward. The hook D of the opposite draw-head is slightly elevated, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1, and is retained in this position by the engagement of one of the armsg with a latch, 19, hung to a pin on the frame of the car, as shown in Fig. 5.

As the cars approach each other the projecting end of the link F strikes the beveled front end of the hook D and lifts the same, as shown in Fig. 2, the end of the link passing under the point of the hook, which is free to fall as soon as the end of the link is in line with the opening of the hook,for the elevation of the latter effected such a movement of the rockshaftf and arm 9 that the latter has been freed from contact with the catch 12,which consequently drops by its own weight so as to be out of the ,way of the arm. As the hook D falls, the link trips the catch 1), and the latter then closes the opening of the hook and prevents the release of thelink therefrom, except under the circumstances described hereinafter. When the cars are under tension,the hooks are drawn into the position shown in Fig.3, so that there is a straight pull between the pins a a, by which the hooks are pivoted.

In order to' uncouple the cars, one of the hooks D is lifted to its full extent while the cars are under tension, as shown in Fig. 4, the hook being retainedin this position by engagement of one of the arms 9, with a finger, t, pivoted to the side of the car-frame, as shown in Fig. 5. As the hook is lifted a projection, w, on the pivoted catch 1) strikes a lug, x, in

the draw-head, and the lifting of the catch 2) 5 is thereby effected, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the opening in the hook is unobstructed, and the link can leave the same when the cars approach each other, said link being then free to leave the draw-head when the cars are again separated. 1

It will be seen that,in order to effect the un- IOO . coupling of the cars,the link must be lifted to its full extent while the couplings are under tension, and the cars must then be backed up or caused to approach each other and again separated before their release is complete, so that the uncoupling of the cars by accident or by evil-disposed persons is improbable.

After the hook has been lifted, in order to effect the uncoupling of the cars, it must be again lowered by releasing the arm 9 from the control of the finger t before the parts are again in position for effecting a coupling.

The releasing of the link from the .hook on the approach of the cars is insured by means of the grooved shoulders or guides i, which direct the end of the link down through the opening in the hook.

In effecting a coupling between ears of different heights, the link F should be applied to the hook of the highest draw-head, so as to be allowed to project toward the lower drawhead; but the extent of depression of the projecting end of the link can be readily governed by manipulating the hook of the higher draw-head, so as to suit cars of varying degrees of height, or when the difference in height is excessive an ordinary bent or sprung link can be used.

In uncoupling cars of different heights the book of the highest draw-head should be manipulated in order to insure the release of the link.

\Vhen the hook is not set for coupling, the end of the same drops into the recess a of the head, the top of the hook at the front end being below the top of the recess, so that a link entering the draw-head will simply slide on the top of the hook and no coupling will be effected.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a draw-head, a hook pivoted therein and having an opening in the bottom. a pivoted catch for closing said opening, and a projection whereby said catch is operated as the link is elevated, as set forth.

2. The combination of the draw-head, ahook pivoted therein and having an opening in the bottom, and guides i, whereby the end of the link is directed outward through said opening when the link is pressed inward, as set forth.

5. The combination of the draw-head, having in the bottom a recess, a, with a hook pivoted in the draw-head and having the openin in the bottom, said hook being so constructed that when its nose is depressed and enters the recess a the top of the hook at the front end will be below the top of the recess, as set forth.

In testin'ionywhereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. F. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

HENRY Bossnnr, HARRY SMITH. 

